2018 Team Championship Flight Winners-Congressional, Montgomery, Hunt Valley, & Woodmore
Championship Flight-Congressional (7) vs. Maryland Golf (5)
During a spring season where rain was the new normal, it took a total of three days instead of one to complete the final round of the Championship flight. A rain date had to be scheduled for the rain date for the match between Congressional Country Club and Maryland Golf and Country Club until, on June 9th, the match finally reached its conclusion.
At home the two Congressional teams dominated the MGCC teams. Steady play by Bev Lane and Julia Calomiris took all 3 points from Bonnie Fry and Dawn Healey, while Maggie Brady and Deborah Williams took 3 points from Taeyong Song and Sandee Carmen. Trying for their first-time Championship win, both of the Maryland Golf and Country Club teams tried to force a comeback, but the Congressional teams held their ground, and regained the trophy after a 5-year dry spell. This victory was the 8th time that Congressional has won the Maryland State Team Championship.
At Maryland Golf and Country Club, the skies opened up 10 minutes before the first tee time but the teams were ready to play. By the time they reached the first tee, the rain stopped but standing water surrounded the pin. After a 45 minute delay the teams finally started again with high hopes that the rain would hold off.
In the first match between Katie Willie/Julia Cranford (MD Golf) and Reedi Bedi/Maureen Dolan (Congressional), Maryland Golf jumped out in front by winning 4 holes out of the first 5. Congressional answered back winning the next two holes with pars. Julie Cranford came back with a birdie on 8 and Maryland Golf won the front with a 3 hole lead.
In the second match between Becky Rutherford/Patty Menly (MD Golf) and Alexa Calomiris/Erin Williams (Congressional), the teams played tough with each winning 3 holes through 8. Erin Williams won 9 with a par giving Congressional a win on the front and a 1 hole lead making the turn.
By the 11th hole the rain started to sprinkle and by the time the 1st team finished the 14th hole the skies had opened up causing play to be suspended. The course closed and the match was determined to be complete.
Play ended with Maryland Golf winning one point on the front, even on the back and 3 up for match thru 14 and Congressional winning one point on the front, 1 up on the back, and 2 up for the match thru 13.
Flight I-Montgomery (7.5) vs. Chevy Chase (4.5)
The first match at MCC was played by Teena Lee and Juanita Tryon (Montgomery) vs. Linda Ford and Pressie Hoffman (Chevy Chase). Juanita Tryon of birdied the par 5 first hole to give her team a 1 up advantage, but Pressie Hoffman of Chevy Chase quickly answered with the only par on the second hole to even the match. Both teams parred the par 3 third hole, and then Linda Ford birdied the 4th hole to give Chevy Chase a one hole lead. Teena Lee of Montgomery parred the 5th to even the match. The teams halved the sixth, and then Teena parred the 7th to give Montgomery a one hole lead which did not change through nine, giving Montgomery the win for the front nine.
Montgomery got very hot on the back nine, starting with Juanita’s birdie on the par 4 10th to take a one up lead. Montgomery continued strong, winning, 11, 13, and 14, closing out the back nine, 4 and 3, and clinching all 3 points of the match.
This match featured JK and Betty from Montgomery playing against Sally and Mina from Chevy Chase.
They split the front nine and then on the back Montgomery was 2 down with 2 to go. The battled back to split the back nine as well. The match was exciting to watch as the teams were so evenly matched.
The second match had JK Kung and Betty Broadwater from Montgomery playing against Sally Cox and Mina Coggeshall from Chevy Chase. They split the front nine and then on the back Montgomery was 2 down with 2 to go. They battled back to split the back nine as well. The match was exciting to watch as the teams were so evenly matched.
The matches at Chevy Chase were challenged by multiple delays in play with storms looming all day. The lightening detection horn sounded several times throughout course of play on the front nine requiring the players to come in off the course and wait 30 minutes each time before being able to go back out.
The first match at Chevy Chase was played between sisters Bailey Scheurer and Sally Fogarty for Chevy Chase and Kristin Shifflett and Mira Yun for Montgomery. The match was close the entire front nine until Kristin sunk a 20′ putt on the 5th hole for birdie to go up 1. Montgomery retained the lead and took the 1 point for the front.
The second match was played between Nancy Carter and Kathy Hayes for Chevy Chase and Sung Kim and Mira Yun for Montgomery as with the first match was very close until Chevy Chase won the 9th hole to take the point for the front.
After more than 4 hours to play the front nine due to the storm delays the players made the turn to start the back nine it started to rain and once again the horn sounded.
At this point Montgomery had secured enough points that the final two matches at Chevy Chase did not need to be resumed.
Flight II-Hunt Valley (6)-Won in Playoff vs. Enterprise (6)
The first match at Hunt Valley was played by Cari Kramer and Chris Alrich (Hunt Valley) vs Katy Henshaw and Eli Belli (Enterprise). Chris Aldrich got off to a solid start by winning the first two holes with a bogey and a par, respectively, at Hunt Valley’s home course. The teams halved the 3rd hole, and then Enterprise’s Eli Belli battled back with a nice par on the 4th hole to bring her team to within one. Chris continued to strike the ball well, and won the 5th and 6th holes with a par and bogey, respectively, giving Hunt Valley a 3 hole lead going into 7. Cari, Katy, and Eli all had birdie putts at the par 5 7th hole, but only Eli was able to sink her putt to win the hole for Enterprise. The teams halved the 8th, giving Hunt Valley a 2 and 1 advantage going into the 9th, and thus clinching a point for the front nine. Cari hit a 214 yard drive and excellent pitch on the 9th, putting her in position to par the hole, and giving Hunt Valley a 3 up advantage as the teams made the turn.
The clouds began lurking on 10, but the ladies were able to finish the hole before play was suspended. Chris won the hole with a par after putting her tee shot to within 15 feet of the pin.
The second mach of the day was between Elaine Emerick/Linda Schneidereith (Hunt Valley) and Joann Moreland/Brenda Mann(Enterprise). Joann and Brenda won the front nine by a score of 3 up. Their only loss was on hole #9 where Hunt Valley made a great up and down for a 5. Due to heavy rain, the match was called. Both teams decided to shorten the match at Hunt Valley to 9 holes. The total score was 1-1.
Although the matches were shortened due to uncooperative weather at Hunt Valley, the golf continued at Enterprise and was most exciting. In the second group, after Gretchen Stoneman’s birdie on the 13th hole, Hunt Valley’s Mary Braun and Jayne Miller began a comeback that nearly succeeded. Pua Bess of Enterprise kept that from happening by sinking a ten-foot putt to win the 18th hole and force a tie in overall team points. In the playoff, Hunt Valley’s first team at Enterprise, Deb Watkins and Nancy Pivec, edged out Dee Pumphrey and Deb McDowell by winning the third playoff hole and Hunt Valley was declared the 2nd Flight winner
Flight III-Woodmore (7.5) vs. Wicomico Shores (4.5)
At Wicomico Shores with all the spring rain the players were challenged with very wet course conditions. However, the storms held off and the players were able to play their matches.
The first match was between Paulette Ager and Gloria Tippett for Wicomico Shores and Sonya Coach Sonya Tyler and Richetta Johnson for Woodmore. The match started off even until Woodmore won the 3rd, 5th and 7th holes to go three up. Wicomico tried to fight back winning the 8th and 9th holes but there weren’t enough holes to take the point for the front from Woodmore. Wicomico continued to their strong play winning the first 4 holes on the back with pars by Gloria on three of them. Woodmore won the 14th hole but Wicomico came right back and won the next two holes and take the 2 points for the back nine and overall.
The second match was between Paige Tamburo and Donna Bowling for Wicomico Shores and Phyllis Stevenson Jenkins and Pat Gafford for Country Club of Woodmore. The Woodmore team got off to quick start with an over the bunker chip-in by Pat on the 1st hole. However, Wicomico Shores bounced right back winning the next four holes with two pars by Paige. Woodmore tried to mount a comeback winning the 6th hole but Wicomico won the last three holes on the front to take the point. The 10th was halved with pars and Woodmore won the 11th but then Wicomico continued their strong play winning the next five holes to win the match and take all three of the points.
At Woodmore rain was in the forecast but held off until after play was completed and everyone was safely inside.
In the first match Meilani Tom and Cheryl Ingram for Woodmore played against Shirley Bauer and Sandi Gates for Wicomico Shores. The scores were good by all but Woodmore managed to close out the match after 12.
The second match was played between Betsy Ward and Patricia Cooke for Woodmore and Wanda Everett and Fran Hahne for Wicomico. The match was tight with good play by all, but Woodmore closed it out on 16.
